Display apparatus



' 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 6 1930 ay 5, 1931. R. M. CRAIG DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1931 RICHARD M. CRAIG, F SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS DISPLAY APPARATUS Application led March 6, 1930. Serial No. 433,698.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive display apparatus whereby an advertising announcement may be displayed at intervals, and between the intervals of such display a design or pattern will be shown in the area occupied by the advertisement when it is displayed in readable position. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of an apparatus embodying my present invention, v

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the illuminating grid and its support,

Fig.` 4 is a detail rear elevation of the driving pulley,

Figs. 5 and 6 are details illustrating modifications,

Fig. 7 is a diagram, and

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrative of a modification.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a base 1 of some suitable durable material uponwhich is erected a standard 2,

an axial opening 4 therethrough, and formed on its front side with an extension 5 through which the axial bore also extends. A bushing 7 is fitted around the extension 5 and upon this bushing is mounted a pulley 8 having an annular groove in its outer circumference to receive a driving belt 9 which is also trained about a pulley 10 secured on the working shaft of a small electric motor, illustrated conventionally at 11. It will thus be seen that Whenever the motor is energized the pulley 8 and the parts mounted thereon or secured thereto will be rotated. To the front end or secured a flaring reflector 12 which may be of 5 with a shouldered rim 1 3 against which is at the upper end of which is a head 3 havingface of the pulley, which is of insulation, is`

seated a sheet 14, preferably of glass or other transparent material, although wire netting or the like may be used. This plate or sheet 14 is employed as a carrier for a stencil plate 15, and the stencil plate and the carrier are held to the reflector by a retaining ring 16 fitted over the edge of the stencil plate and secured in position by set screws 17 inserted through an annular flange of the ring into the rim of the reflector. The stencil plate may be a sheet of opaque material having openings cut therethrough to form bars, indicated at 18, and letters, indicated at 19, the

letters being arranged to make any desired announcement or advertisement. The letters and bars may be formed by painting directly upon the carrier plate 14 or may be otherwise formed and the effect obtained in the operation of the apparatus will vary according to the material used or the construction adapted to produce the letters and the bars or other pattern elements. The bars Will preferably be given a distinctive color,- and in the pres- -ent drawings I have indicated a yellow or orange bar. The coloring may be effected by the application of pigments or by applying pieces of properly colored gelatine or celluloid and the letters may be opaque material but they will preferably be clear or translucent to form a contrast with the background presented by the back of the stencil plate. It will be understood that the stencil plate may be employed without the carrying plate 14, but inasmuch as the stencil plate w1ll lbe very thin and may be drawn inwardly at the center by air suction and possibly distort the pattern or the announcement, I prefer to provide the carrier plate which furnishes a rigid background to prevent the distortion. The refiector 12 is, of course, disposed concentric with the tubular extension 5 of the head 3, and the front extremity of said extension is externally threaded, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby an inner reflector 20 also of fiared formation may be fitted onto the extension, a nut 21 being mounted on the extension in front of the back web of the reflector so that the refiector will be firmly secured in place. It may be noted that a washer or the like, indicated at 22, will be provided between the inner stationary reflector 20 and the outer revolving reflector 12 so as to minimize the area of contact and consequent wear between these parts. Within the body of the reflector 20 is rigidly secured in any convenient manner a frame 23. of insulation and preferably of mirror glass, and upon the front face of this frame is cemented a luminescent gasfilled tube 24 which has its intermediate portion bent alternately in opposite directions to form a grid or coil, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and this grid or coil will be given a distinctive color, such as red or blue. The terminals of the grid are connected through conductors 25 with the secondary side of a transformer 26 which may be supported in any convenient manner upon the standard 2 and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in a conventional manner only, the details of this transformer being immaterial in the present case. The input conductors 27 have branches connected with the motor 11 so as to drive the same when the circuit is closed, as by plugging into a house socket or by the throwing of a switch, as will be understood. One of said input conductors also extends directly to the primary side of the transformer 26 while the other of said conductors extends to -a brush 28 held in any convenient mannerupon the head 3, a cooperating 4brush 29 being connected through a conductor 30 with the primary side of the transformer. A one-way thermo flasher, indicated conventionally at 31, is interposed in the primary circuit between the transformer and the brushes, and arranged in series with said transformer is a variable resistance, indicated at 32. In the rear end of the ulley 8 is set a contact block 33 which will ridge the brushes 28, 29, once in each revolution of V the pulley and thereby close the circuit through the brushes and the primary side of the apparatus.

The pulley -8 and, consequently, the outer main reflector 12 and the stencil plate are to be rotated at a speed higher than the speed of vision and, consequently, if Vthe tube 24 be illuminated the light flowing through the several openings of the stencil plate will produce a geometrical design or pattern which will be highly attractive and which throu h a commingling of the colors given the tu e and the openings of the stencil plate as well as the field or background of the plate, \will resemble plaid cloth. The luminescent tube will operateonly with alternating current and the oscillation of the Vcurrentwill cause the tube to be instantly illuminated or extinguished without any afterglow as is the case with Element-containing bulbs, and as a result the lines or outlines of the several letters or bars on the stencil plate willbe well delined in all positions of the plate. The eye is not able to follow the rapid illumination and extinguishment of the tube but retains the impression of the illumination at each point so that the several' illuminations appear to overlap and consequently produce a pattern or figure consisting of interlacing or overlapping lines. The particular design of the pattern will, of course, be determined largely by the particular letters employed in the announcement to be made. The pattern will be formed as long as the flasher 31 is closed during which period the brushes 28, 29 and the cooperating Contact 33 are cut out. When in the usual operation of the flasher the contact points thereof separate, the circuit will then be through the brushes 28 and l29 whenever the contact block 33 is in engagement with the brushes. This, however, occurs only once in each revolution of the pulley and the stencil plate and said contact and the letters of the plate are so related that the illumination will occur only when the announcement is in a horizontaler readable position. Again the persistency of vision comes into play and, although the actual illumination is only momentary, it is repeated so rapidly and always at the same point that the announcement appears in readableposition for an appreciable period. If the full strength of the current be permitted to flow, the illumination of the pattern will be exceedingly brilliant and there will not be suflicient contrast between the illumination of the pattern and the announcement. I, therefore, interpose the variable resistance 32 which may be adjusted to reduce the brilliancy of the pattern displayed to a desired degree so that when the announcement appears it will seem by contrast to be Very br1lliant, thereby adding greatly to the advertising value of the apparatus.

It will thus be seen that the reflector 12 carrying the stencil or pattern plate rotates cintinuously while the grid carrying the luminescent tube always remains stationary. When the flasher 31 is closed, current will flow to the tube 24 to illuminate the same and said tube will continue to remain illuminated as long as the flasher is closed. As the reflector 12 carrying the stencil plate revolves continuously, the characters in the stencil plate will form artistic geometric designs andthe formation of these designs will continue as long as the asher is closed. When the flasher is opened, the current will flow to the brushes 28 and 29 and the tube or grid 24 will only be illuminated once each revolution of the pulley 8, that is to say, illumination o f the tube or grid will be effected only when the brushes 28 and 29 engage the contact 33 on the pulley and as the parts are so arranged that this contact can be efected only when the characters on the stencil plate are in readable position, it follows that the light from the rid or tube passing through the openings o the stencil will cause the legend or characters to be readily discernible in a brilliant hue. When 'the flasher is again closed, current will be cut off fromthe contact 33 and directed to the rid or luminescent tube so as to cause t 1e grid in conjunction with the stencil plate to again form patterns.

It will thus be seen that the continuous illumination of the tube causes a geometrical pattern or design, while the momentary or interrupted illumination of said tube causes the stencil plate to display an announcement in readable position.

The carrier plate 14 may be ordinary window glass or other material, as has been stated. In Fig. 5, I have indicated a sheet of glass 34 upon the inner face of which are cemented jewels or other ornaments, and in Fig. 6 I have indicated a section of a sheet of glass having prisms 35 formed upon one face. If either of these forms of glass be used, the display will have a scintillating effect as well as the kaleidoscopic or color effect produced by the commingling of the colors in the tube and in the figures of the stencil plate.

In Fig. 8, I have illustrated a, further development or embodiment of the invention in which two grids or luminescent tubes 36 and 37 may be employed and they may be secured upon the frame 23 in superposed relation. These grids are connected to the secondary sides of independent transformers 38 and 39 and the primary sides of the transformers are, of course, connected to the input wires 40 which have branches leading to the motor 11, as before described. In the input cable leading into the transformers, I insert a twoway thermo flasher 41, the stationary terminals of which are connected by conductors 42 and 43, respectively, with the transformers 38 and 39. -The return wire 44 leading from the transformers passes to a brush 28, as before, cooperating with a similar brush 29 and a contact 33, corresponding in all respects to the same elements heretofore described, and interposed in the primary circuit in advance of the brushes is the one-way flasher 31, all of which operate in the same manner as those shown in Fig. 7 The flashers 31 and 41 operate independently of each other, the pattern'or the announcement being displayed accordingly as the circuit passes through the one-way flasher 31 or through the brushes 28 and 29. The two-way flasher 41, however, will alternately cut out the respective grids or tubes 36 and 37 and these tubes are given contrasting colors, one being ordinarily red and the other blue so that in the operation of the apparatus the announcement may appeal' in red letters or in blue letters, the color being entirely dependent upon the position of the controlling flasher. If the bars 18 be formed in yellow or orange color and thc red grid be illuminated the bars will be displayed `in a slightly dull red but if the blue tube be illuminated, the bars will appear in From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

it will be seen that I have provided an exceedi ingly simple, inexpensive and easily operated apparatus by which an illuminated pattern will be displayed and the pattern will then seem to be displayed by an advertisement or announcement. Owing to its extreme simplicity and compactness, the apparatus may be displayed within a building or within a small space and is not apt to get out of order'. A unique effect may be obtained by using ordinary incandescent colored-bulbs within the housing which give more variety to the Scotch plaid or tartan effect. The lights from these bulbs will be subdued by `the more powerful and brilliant gaseous tubes when the readable characters are showing. However, in genera-l I prefer thevstencil plate as irst described.

Having thus described the invention, I- claim:

1. A display apparatus comprising a stationary luminescent tube, a display element rotatable in front of said tube and provided with translucent characters, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby the characters will display an announcement in readable position, said last-mentioned means operating alternately with the means for continuously illuminating the tube.

2. `A display apparatus comprising a stationary luminescent tube, a stencil plate rotatable in front` of the tube, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tubeV whereby the characters on the stencil plate will show an announcement in readable position.

3. A display apparatus comprising a stationary luminescent tube having a distinctive color, a stencil plate movable in front of the tube and having characters ina color contrasting with the color of the tube, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby rthe characters will displayan announcement the characters on the display plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby said characters will display an announcement in readable position.

5. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a supporting frame, a pulley mounted to rotate upon the frame, a :Haring reflector secured to one end of the pulley and rotatable therewith, a flaring reflector disposed within the first-mentioned reflector and secured stationarily upon the support, a stationary luminescent tube mounted in front of the stationary reflector and within the area of the same, a display plate carried by the front end of the rotatable reflector and bearing translucent characters, means for rotating the pulley, a pair of brushes mounted on the support at the rear of and adjacent the pulley, a contact block set in the pulley to bridge the brushes in the revolution of the pulley, a transformer, conductors extending from the secondary side of the transformer to the terminals of the luminescent tube, conductors connecting the brushes with the primary side of the transformer, and a shunt device interposed in the primary side of the transformer whereby during certain periods the tube will be continuously illuminated by the primary circuit flowing through the shunt device and during other periods will be intermittently illuminated by the circuit flowing through the brushes, the continuous illumination of the tube causing the characters on the display plate to present a geometrical design and the intermittent illumination of the tube causing said characters to display an announcement in readable position.

6. A display apparatus comprising a support, a stationary reflector mounted on the support, a mirror glass carried by the stationary reflector, a luminescent tube secured to the mirror glass, a movable reflector mounted' for rotation around the stationary reflector, a stencil plate carried by the movable reflector, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will show an announcement in readable position for an appreciable period.

7. A display apparatus comprising a support, a stationary reflector mounted on the support, a luminescent tube carried by the stationary reflector, a movable reflector mounted for rotation around the stationary reflector, a refractory stencil supporting plate mounted on the outer portion of the movable reflector, a stencil plate bearing against the supporting plate, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tubes whereby the characters on the stencil plate will show an announcement in readable position for an appreciable period.

8. A display apparatus comprising a support, a stationary reflector mounted on the support, a luminescent tube carried by the stationary reflector, a substantially conical reflector mounted for rotation on the support around the stationary reflector and having its large end provided with a retaining flange, a stencil supporting member engaging said flange, a stencil plate bearing against the supporting member, a retaining ring overlapping the flange for holding the stencil plate to the supporting member, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate will show an announcement in readableposition for an appreciable period.

9. A display apparatus comprising a support having a reduced extension the end of which is threaded, a stationary reflector mounted on the threaded end of the eXtension, a nut engaging the threads and bearing4 against the stationary reflector, a luminescent tube carried by said stationary reflector, a pulley mounted for .rotation on the extension of the support, an outer reflector secured to and mounted for rotation with the pulley, a stencil plate carried by the outer reflector, means for rotating the pulley, means for continuously illuminating the tube whereby the characters on the stencil plate Will appear to form a geometrical design, and means for intermittently illuminating the tube whereby the characters on thestencil plate will show an announcement in readable position.

10. A display apparatus comprising an inner stationary reflector, a luminescent tube disposed within said reflector, an outer rotatable reflector surrounding the inner reflector, a pattern plate carried by the outer reflector, a luminescent tube mounted on the inner reflector, an electric circuit connected with the luminescent tube for illuminating the same and including a transformer, and

of the transformer whereby during certain periods the tube will be continuously illuminated by the primary circuit flowing through the shunt device and during other periods will be intermittently illuminated, the continuous illumination of the tube causing the characters on the pattern plate to present a geometrical design and the intermittent illumination of the tube causing said characters to display an announcement in readable position for an appreciable period.

11. A display apparatus comprising an inner stationary member and an outer roa shunt device interposed in the primary side tatable member, independent luminescent,

tube units carriedb the inner member, a. stencil plate carried y and mounted for rotation with the outer member, an electric circuit connected with said luminescent tube units and including transformers, a double contact flasher disposed in the circuit for alternating lighting the tube units, and a. single Contact flasher also included in the circuitv whereby during certain periods the tube units will be continuously illuminated and during other periods Will be intermittently i1- luminated.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

RICHARD M. CRAIG. 

